ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION INVITES PEORIA RESIDENTS TO JOIN 2020 WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S ON OCTOBER 3
PEORIA, IL –
The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Peoria residents
to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s
Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on Saturday,
October 3, 2020.
The Peoria
Metro Walk to End Alzheimer’s continues, but instead of hosting a
large gathering, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging participants to
walk as individuals or in small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails across
Peoria.
“This year’s Walk to End
Alzheimer’s will be everywhere,” said Wendy Vizek, Vice President, Constituent
Events at the Alzheimer’s Association. “The pandemic is changing how we walk,
but it doesn’t change the need to walk. This year, more than ever, we need to
come together to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
With the dollars raised, the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to provide
care and support to families during these difficult times while also advancing
critical research toward methods of treatment and prevention.”
Time-honored components of the Walk
to End Alzheimer’s are being replicated. On Walk day, an Opening Ceremony will
feature local speakers and a presentation of Promise Flowers to honor the
personal reasons participants join together to fight Alzheimer’s and all other
dementia, all delivered to participants' smartphones, tablets and computers. A
small group of Alzheimer’s Association staff and volunteers will create the
iconic Promise Garden in a “view only” format on Walk day at Marshall
Plaza to honor all those impacted by Alzheimer’s.
To enhance the participant
experience leading up to the event and on Walk day, new features are being
added to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app to create an opportunity for
the community to connect. Participants can use the app and new “Walk
Mainstage'' to track their steps and distance, follow a virtual Walk path,
manage their Facebook fundraisers, and access information and resources from
the Association and Walk sponsors to help individuals and families affected by
the disease. A new audio track is available to encourage participants along the
way and to congratulate them upon completion of their Walk.
“Alzheimer’s is not taking a hiatus
during COVID-19 and neither are we,” said Mary Sorensen, Senior Statewide
Director for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s at the Alzheimer’s Association
Illinois Chapter. “We must continue Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and we are working
with all participants to ensure they have a powerful and moving experience that
is felt when we are together. Many of our constituents are at higher risk when
it comes to COVID-19 and we know that our volunteers and participants
appreciate our commitment to keeping all involved healthy and safe.”
More than 5 million Americans are
living with Alzheimer's disease – the sixth-leading cause of death in the
United States. Additionally, more than 16 million family members and friends
provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Illinois
alone, there are more than 230,000 people living with the disease and 587,000
caregivers.
To register and receive the latest
updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit: alz.org/walk.
Alzheimer's Association
Walk to End Alzheimer’s®
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to
End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and
funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s
Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association
Memory Walk®; now the
Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End
Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.
About the Alzheimer's Association
Illinois Chapter:
The Alzheimer’s Association® is the
world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s research, care and
support. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the
advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all
affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain
health. The Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter covers an 87-county area
with offices in Chicago, Joliet, Rockford, Springfield, Bloomington, Peoria,
Quincy and Southern Illinois. Since 1980, the Chapter has provided reliable
information and care consultation; created supportive services for families;
increased funding for dementia research; and influenced public policy changes.
The Illinois Chapter serves more than half a million Illinois residents
affected by Alzheimer's disease, including more than 230,000 Illinois residents
living with the disease. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's®. For more
information visit www.alz.org/illinois
or call our free 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.
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